


Repotting love

by Kaarina_Riddle



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-15 15:27:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18672427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaarina_Riddle/pseuds/Kaarina_Riddle
Summary: Theo gets bad grades in Herbology and his father is riding him. He finally asks the professor for help and finds an unlikely friend in the greenhouses.





	Repotting love

**Author's Note:**

> This piece will remain anonymous until the end of the contest, we would like to acknowledge that any characters, plots or locations are not ours they are the property of JK Rowling. 
> 
> I would like to thank my alpha/beta who shall be named at the end.

Theodore looked down at the letter from his father. He had received another bad Herbology grade and as usual his father wasn’t impressed. Theo knew he had to get the best of everything and that was why he was tied with Malfoy and the Granger girl in most classes. The only one he could never top the class was Herbology and that was because Longbottom was a whole other breed and Malfoy and Granger were behind him as well. But this grade was even worse. A troll. How could he have gotten a Troll?

 

Heading down to the greenhouses Theo decided he would ask Professor Sprout to give him extra lessons and maybe his father would get off his back.

 

“Hello, Mister Nott. What can I do for you?” Professor Sprout asked as he entered.

 

“I was wondering whether I could get any extra help with Herbology? It’s the only subject I have trouble with and my father is being a bit forceful with me about it.” Theo said, peering down at his toes to make her feel worse for him.

 

“Certainly! I can see you in Tuesday’s and Thursday’s after classes if you would like. And if you want any extra time all you need to do is use this and you’ll have unlimited access.” The Professor handed him a gold key.

 

“Thank you Professor, this means so much to me.” He said smiling at her. He knew his smile was disarming, “Am I able to go practice repotting now? I won’t take too long.”

 

“Go ahead and use Greenhouse three and don’t worry about the time, take as long as you want.” Professor Sprout waving it off.

 

Saying thank you again, he walked out of her tiny office and over to number three, going to use the key he had been given he noticed the lock was already unlocked.

 

As soon as he entered the greenhouse he noticed the hunched over figure of Longbottom pruning some plant, oblivious to the world.

 

Shaking his head, Theodore got to work repotting plants trying to ignore the Gryffindor but every movement he made dragged Theo’s attention to him. Why was he so interesting? It seemed like in the greenhouse he was a completely different person. Throwing those thoughts out of his mind; he concentrated on the task at hand.

 

**oOo**

 

Everyday Theo went down to the greenhouses to work morning and night on improving his grades. His father kept sending letters degrading him for the one bad graded subject.

 

As he entered a smile appeared across his features. Neville was standing off to the side waiting, “I was waiting. When I saw the mail come in and you get something I knew you’d come here. Everything okay?”

 

“Just father being father again,” Theo said shrugging.

 

“I’m here if you need someone… I mean anything.” Neville stammered.

 

“Thank you, Neville.” Theo said. It had been weeks since he started coming down to the greenhouses and the company was becoming the most important part of the visits, they still worked to improve his grades but now they were spending more time talking.

 

Theo was feeling things he hadn’t felt in a while. He had squashed his feelings for Draco back in their third year, but the way he felt deep down in his stomach; the nervous fluttering every time they locked eyes. It was more than he ever felt back then and he didn’t think he could control it.

 

“You’re welcome, shall we?” He said gesturing to the mimbulus mimbletonia that they needed to prune and repot before the next day. They had been getting more and more joint tasks lately and Theo didn’t want to question it much but he was suspicious.

 

**oOo**

 

Neville felt bad for not being honest with Theo, but he could never let anyone know exactly how he felt. He was a target of the Slytherin’s as it was; he didn’t need it getting out that he enjoyed the company of boys over girls. They didn’t make him feel the same way.

 

Everyday they spent time together in the greenhouses was another day that brought Neville’s feelings closer to the surface. He wasn’t used to having someone that was solely _his_. Everyone else had their close friends and their boy or girl friend but Neville was on the outside looking in. Theo seemed to be the same; yes he interacted with his house mates but from what he had told Neville he didn’t feel comfortable around them.

 

But Neville could sense there was an underlying meaning to his words when he said that.

 

When they were around one another Neville felt like he could be himself instead of hiding behind a shield. He hoped one day he had the courage to actually say something about how he was starting to feel but until then he would enjoy the small moments of time he could spirit from Theo.

 

**oOo**

 

Theo walked through the halls of the castle slightly behind his friends off in his own space not paying attention to where they were heading until he bumped into something… or he should he say someone.

 

Letting his eyes drift up to meet hazel eyes that could see through to his very soul. He gulped. _Neville._ They didn’t normally interact outside of the greenhouses. That was their safe space but bumping into him and feeling just how much Neville had bulked up, he started to hyperventilate.

 

Still just staring at one another the two boys were lost until, “Watch where you’re going, Longbottom.” Sounded from behind Neville, peering around him Theo saw Draco smirking at the opportunity to push Neville’s buttons.

 

“Just leave it. He doesn’t matter anyway,” Theo said, trying to relay to Neville that he didn’t mean what he was saying. Neville scowled and pushed past Theo roughly.

 

Once he had left, Theo made an excuse to get away from the others and raced after Neville pushing him into an alcove before anyone could see.

 

“What do you want Nott?” Neville demanded.

 

“Don’t. You know I was just trying to keep up appearances..” Theo said. “You are the only person I feel like I can be myself around. You never judge and you make me feel like I can actually get away from under my fathers thumb. You are my everything.”

 

Theo said showing a weakness for once, knowing he had just allowed Neville to know how he really felt.

 

“Really?” Neville whispered, hopefully.

 

“Yeah, really.” Theo said smirking.

 

“Okay. I’ll see you in the greenhouses after classes.” Neville said before pushing past leaving Theo reeling from actually admitting that he had let Neville further in than he meant to.

 

No one was meant to know. He had everything locked away. But now maybe he could have someone that wouldn’t abandon him or judge him.

 

He needed to accept what was blooming.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy x


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